(I started writing this yesterday)
You don’t know the grief I’m going through trying to post this. I’ve been trying to get Openreach to do an internet install since early January. The latest news is that they’re going to do it on Thursday. After it constantly being put back, I’m not holding my breath and the best I can say is that I’m hopeful it might actually happen this time. Certainly they’re leaving it late if they want to cancel again.
Basically posting involves retry after retry and it’s frankly tedious. Still, it’s proper footy time again and I really feel I should make the effort.
I think the title pretty much says everything I feel. We’re in this season’s quarters and we face the only championship club left in the tournament. The other seven sides are all Premier league teams.
We’re apparently second favourites to win the cup, after Man City, assumedly because of this particular tie which means we’re strong favourites to get to the semis, but I’m not sure our second place is really justified. Forest and Bournemouth are bigger threats than City to my mind, but no doubt it’s more about the Mancs recent history.
Whatever, the way I see it is this is our best chance to actually win the FA cup for 10 years, since that disastrously bad gane that was the Arsenal final; the awful anti climax of the 2000 Chelsea final and okay, I have to say it. Our last win in 1957.
I’ve commented previously about how I find it almost impossibly difficult to understand why our record, for a club of our size is so bad and nothing has changed.
The point is, if we don’t win it this season, given our current position, you have to wonder how long it will be before we get another equally good chance. We have (on paper) the easiest draw and we have a cup grand master in Unai Emery at the helm. It’s hard to see how things could be better.
Moving on to today, I see that Forest have beaten Brighton on penalties and Palace tonked Fulham on their own patch. Today’s other game is Man City and Bournemouth, where I suspect the cherries will win.
Our interest is of course the Villa though and squad news is that we’re in very good shape. Ross Barkley is our only player who’s not fit and even he is close to returning. Disasi is cup-tied, which is a loss, as I think he’s been excellent. Still, a conversation yesterday about what the starting line-up might be led us to conclude that when we have all the players fit, we actually have a very good pool of players to pick from. The issue we have is the lack of depth in the squad. Unai and Monchi are doing good work to improve this though, as we’ve seen since they’ve been at the club. Thinking about it, the way they’ve improved us has been nothing short of superb when you consider the way they’ve had to wheel and deal because of PSR.
As for Preston, Milutin Osmajic (hip), Alistair McCann (leg), Brad Potts (hamstring), and Jack Whatmough (calf) are all out and Sam Greenwood is suspended after picking up a yellow last time out.
The only thing I know about Preston is that they’ve got a very good record at Deepdale, having gone unbeaten for a mid teens amount of games. Having said that, Swansea managed to get a point there very recently, so they’re by no means invincible. History is on our side if you consider it matters and Preston have only beaten us once in our last 15 meetings. We’ve also won our last four quarter finals. Not that figures like that do much for me. The here and now is all that matters.
What to think then and I expect Preston to play a canny game where we have to take it to them, something that we’re not great at, in my opinion, as we struggle to break teams down. An early first goal in our favour would see us have too much for the Lilywhites and if they then had to attack us, I’d expect to beat them soundly. So knowing me, I’ve got it totally wrong and we scrape it to penalties.
Frankly, I don’t care how we do it, but I cannot see past a Villa win, which would see us face City, Forest or Bournemouth in a semi at Wembley. All tough games, but all very winnable, particularly with the cup grandmaster in charge.
I’ll go for 1-0, which will leave me itching for the draw later this evening.
UTV!
I think this is a must win if we want to get top 4/5. Forest on Saturday is another really tough game. If i took off my claret and blue bias, I would predict two draws but that won’t be enough.
Hmmm…I know what u mean. We need wins.
COME ON VILLA!!!!!!!
How the F****** ell is that not a penalty?????!! 😫😫😫
That was shocking!!!
Worst non penalty ever
WTF!!!! Clear pen!!!!!!!!
Bent ref. I’ve decided. And I’m not changing my mind.
F*** VAR
It seems like our game plan is to see out the first half without conceding and become more attacking in then second half.
The best description of our first half reminds me of the WW2 joke about Italian tanks. 5 reverse gears and 1 forward in case attacked from behind. Too often our first thought is pass backwards, made worse by the fact Rashford is making a run into space.
But then again 0-0 at half time.
That, for me, is a pretty good game plan and long overdue. For every game.
One word ATWELL – he never gives Villa anything – compounded by a corrupt VAR that does more to destroy football than any rule ever invented!
They are above us in the league. We are away. That’s an ok score. We will bring on a new team in the 2nd half. We will win 2-0. Amen
The best team score a great goal and it’s against the run of play. Nonsense
Unais’s team selections are not for the faint-hearted. Torres back in place of Mings?! I will get my tin hat until the HK adverts at HT.
Oh and happy birthday Hitch.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSS!!!
Previous moments Hitch, I know you don’t take them for granted.
Thank you Gerry – watching with the family – all mad Villa fans
Rash!!!!!!!!!! Yesssss!!!!
Bollox.
IT’S HAND BALL!!!!!!!!!
Clear and obvious, arseholes!!!
He controlled it on his hand!!!!! Clear and fucking obvious!!!
F*** you Hurzeler! Yes, give your head a shake.
Looks like Unai’s telling him the same. You tell ‘im Unai.
Happy Birthday, Hitch!
Thanks BFR – handball probably cancels the not given penalty!
Nah. It was a clear penalty. And a clear hand ball.
I do like Mitoma though…Can’t we locate a great Japanese or Korean player?
For marketing purposes at least?
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!